Tribute to Miles Davis
The program of the 3rd edition of Timeless Film Festival Warsaw would hardly be complete without a place for an artist who, in the world of music, came to seem almost godlike. The special section Tribute to Miles Davis is dedicated to a jazz master of limitless range and style, a musician who changed the course of music history more than once.
Davis had everything: impeccable technique, extraordinary musical intelligence and profound sensitivity. What set him apart even from other giants, however, was his restless desire to keep opening new doors. Few artists explored new musical paths with such consistency and such force – from lyrical cool jazz and electric experimentation to the freedom of improvisation.
The lasting symbol of his genius remains “Kind of Blue” (1959), an album many regard as the greatest jazz recording of all time. Owing to its undimmed freshness, it is also one of those rare records that every music lover should know, regardless of taste.
The centenary of Davis’s birth offers the perfect occasion to revisit his legacy from several different angles: from his groundbreaking approach to composition, through his appearances on screen, to concert recordings that capture him in his natural element.
The Tribute to Miles Davis section will include:
- Elevator to the Gallows (Ascenseur pour l’échafaud, dir. Louis Malle, France, 1958) – an absolute classic of noir cinema, featuring one of the most celebrated film scores in history. Recorded during a single improvised night session in Paris, Davis’s music became inseparable from the film’s dense, sultry atmosphere.
- Dingo (dir. Rolf de Heer, France, Australia, 1991) – a rare opportunity to see Davis in an acting role. In this feature film, he plays a jazz legend whose presence changes the life of a young musician from provincial Australia. Davis appears alongside Gil Evans and also co-created the score.
- Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (dir. Stanley Nelson, USA, 2019) – a perceptive documentary shedding light on the artist’s life and work. Rich in previously unseen archival material and interviews, it helps explain how Davis became the “God of Jazz”.
- Miles Davis: Live in Germany (dir. Janos Darvas, 1987) – a concert film that shows Davis where he felt most at home: on stage. It is pure energy, and a testament to the brilliance of his leadership and improvisation at the height of his powers.
The curator of the Tribute to Miles Davis section is Jerzy Szczerbakow.
section partner
